Prominent American Sikh Arrested by Indian Authorities in Amritsar

UNITED SIKHSNovember 10, 2016

Bhai Resham Singh, delegate to the U.S. Democratic Convention for the last 8 years.

Bhai Resham Singh is an American citizen, resident of Bakersfield, California. On November 4, 2016 at 9:10pm he was arrested by Indian authorities when he arrived at the New Delhi airport for Sikh Sarbat Khalsa.

As per Simranjit Singh, Bhai Resham Singh’s attorney in India, Bhai Resham Singh and many others have been charged with sedition. His attorney stated to UNITED SIKHS that they are “working diligently to see how justice can be delivered.”

UNITED SIKHS International Civil and Human Rights Advocacy (ICHRA) lawyers are working to see how justice can be delivered. We have spoken to the State Department in Washington and to the U.S. Consulate in New Delhi in India. They confirmed that Bhai Resham Singh is being detained by Amritsar police and that he is allowed to visit with his attorney and a local family member but they had not met with Bhai Resham Singh.

Bhai Resham Singh’s family contacted UNITED SIKHS after Indian customs held Bhai Resham Singh for 24 hours and later released him to the Amritsar police in Punjab, where he remains. They are concerned that Bhai Resham Singh’s arrest is politically motivated.

According to an Indian Express newspaper article, dated November 14, 2015, after Sarbat Khalsa last year, cases were registered against various Sarbat Khalsa organizers after Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal held a meeting with Amritsar police. Sikh Sarbat Khalsa is an event that has been taking place in India since the 1700’s. According to the article, except for a few speakers, the 2015 Sarbat Khalsa was peaceful.

The Amritsar police listed Sikh American, Bhai Resham Singh, and British, Indian and Italian citizens as targets for arrest. According to Bhai Resham Singh’s family, only Bhai Resham Singh and Indian citizens were arrested in this wave because they were present for Sarbat Khalsa this year. No British or Italian citizens were arrested.

According to Indian newspapers, approximately two thousand people were arrested on the same or similar charges. The Indian newspapers also report that the mass arrests violate civil and human rights.

Bhai Resham Singh’s family in California maintain that he has done nothing wrong. They were concerned that he was not getting proper medical attention or receiving the medication needed. UNITED SIKHS was able to confirm that these needs are being met.

Bhai Resham Singh’s is a prominent member of the Sikh community in the United States. He is Senior Vice President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (USA), a registered political party in India that advocates for the formation of an independent state for Sikhs through the democratic process. According to this daughter, he has been a delegate to the U.S. Democratic Convention for the last eight years.

UNITED SIKHS, International Civil & Human Rights Advocacy (ICHRA), continues to maintain contact with the U.S. Consulate and Bhai Resham Singh’s attorney in India in order to ensure justice.

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